Thumb tack tool



July 3, 1956 A. M. GIBSON 2,753,150

THUMB TACK TOOL Filed on. 21, 1955 AUG/7 M. 6/1755 INVENTOR.

BY'Q7KM ATTORNEY im ted States Patent THUMB TACK TOOL Allan M. Gibson, Houston, Tex.

Application October 21, 1953, Serial No. 387,446

3 Claims. (Cl. 254-21) This invention relates to a thumb tack tool, and more particularly to a novel tool capable of removing a thumb tack, or the like, from a surface into which it has been driven, and depositing the tack within an enclosure of the device where it is retained for further use.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple, convenient and inexpensive device by which tacks may be effectively removed from a surface and in which the tacks may be collected and retained for further use.

Another object is to provide a tack tool which remains closed when pulling tacks or when used as an enclosure for tacks, the tool being opened only when removing tacks from its interior or when it is desired to place a quantity of tacks therein.

Still another object is to provide a container type tack puller including a movable closure-puller member having a sidewardly displaced portion, forming an inclined surface with a fulcrum and a free edge, the free edge having a V-shaped notch therein and forming, with the container, a slot for the admission of a tack head to the interior of the container, so that the tack is pulled when the device is rocked upon the fulcrum and is deposited in the container.

The foregoing objects, and other objects, will be more fully understood from a consideration of the following specification and the claims, together with the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view through the device, the closure-puller member being shown in side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 3--3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view taken in the direction indicated by the arrows 44 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the device, showing in dotted outline the position of the closure-puller member when opened to receive tacks from the interior of the device or to insert tacks therein;

Fig. 6 is a perspective, similar to Fig. 1, showing an alternate embodiment of the invention.

in the drawings a device embodying the invention is shown at 1 and comprises a body or chamber 2 having bottom 3, sides 4 and 5, and ends 6 and 7. Preferably the ends 6 and 7 are inclined relative to the bottom to improve the appearance of the device and to serve additional purposes which will be made apparent. The bottom, sides and ends are united at their meeting edges to form a unitary container structure. It seems apparent that the body 2 is amenable to construction by forming from sheet metal, may be cast, or may be produced in any well known manner from and of various plastics currently available.

The sides 4 and 5 are internally grooved at 10 and 11 proximate the open edges of the container to slidably receive the closure-puller member 12 which serves the dual purpose of acting as a liding cover for the container and 2,753,150 Patented July 3, 1956 a puller which withdraws tacks from a surface and deposits such tacks within the container.

The closure member 12 is of special construction and may be readily formed of deformable sheet metal although it is to be understood that the suggestion of a useable material is made by way of illustration and not by way of limitation. The edges of the closure member are flanged at 15 to slidably fit within the grooves or channels 10 and 11 and the outer end portion of the member is displaced outwardly at 20 to form an inclined surface 17 provided with a V-shaped notch 18 extending inwardly from the free edge 19 on the end of the member. The length of the closure member 12 is such that the edge 19 extends slightly beyond the outermost end of the container 2, whereby there is provided a small slot 13 through which may pass the head of a tack to be pulled, so that the tack moves to the position indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 2.

In the end 6 of the container 2 is embedded a small magnet 21 which is capable of attracting a magnetizable tack 22, and holding such tack in the position shown in Fig. 1. By means of this feature of construction the device may be grasped in one hand by the user and pressure applied in the direction of the shaft of the tack to drive the tack. The magnet 21 is so located that it tends to collect the tacks, interiorly of the container 2, proximate the end 6 of the container so that the tacks are readily accessible with but slight opening of the closure-puller member 12.

The details of construction and the manner of use of the device are believed apparent from the foregoing description. By way of further explanation and summary it will be assumed that the user of the device will force the edge 19 beneath the head of a tack which will thus enter the slot 13, the shaft of the tack entering the ll-shaped slot or notch 18 in the closure member 12. The entire device is then rocked upon the fulcrum surface 23 whereby the tack is withdrawn and enters and is retained within the device for further use.

In the alternate embodiment shown in Fig. 6, the device shown at 1 is similar to that heretofore described except that the top of the device is closed as shown at 24 and the bottom and one end are left open and are replaced by a closure member 12' of which the elongated portion 25 is slidable in interior grooves proximate the open edges 26.

The outer end of the member 12, extends: downwardly at 27 and serves as an end closure for the container member. It terminates in edge 19' from which the V-shaped notch 13 extends inwardly toward the fulcrum surface 23'. Gussets 28 are integral parts of the member 12 and provide adequate strength to prevent deformation of the member when a tack is being pulled.

Broadly the invention comprehends a container type of tack puller having a closure member with a fulcrum and adjacent notched end to receive the shaft of a tack to be pulled, such notched end being closely spaced from a wall of the container to permit entry of the tack head to the interior of the container so that upon rocking the device upon the fulcrum the tack is pulled and moves to the interior of the container.

The invention claimed is:

l. A tool for removing and collecting tacks comprising, a container, interior longitudinally extending, opposed grooves therein, a closure-puller member slidably mounted in said grooves to normally form a closure for the container but slidable to open position for manual removal of tacks from the container and introduction of tacks to the interior of the container, a portion of said member being displaced sidewardly forming a fulcrum and an inclined surface thereon, said inclined surface terminating in a free end closely spaced from and forming with the container a slot for the admission to the interior of the container the head of a tack to be pulled, and a V-shaped ice notch extending inwardly from said free end toward the fulcrum, whereby a tack entering said slot and notch is pulled when the tool is rocked upon the fulcrum.

2. A tool for removing and collecting tacks, comprising a container, interior longitudinally extending, opposed grooves therein, a closure-puller member slidably mounted in said grooves to normally form a closure for the container but slidable to open position for manual removal of tacks from the container and introduction of tacks to the interior of the container, an end portion of said member being displaced outwardly to form a fulcrum and a surface inclined toward a wall of the container and terminating in a free end closely spaced from and forming with said wall a slot for the admission of a tack head to the interior of the container, there being a V-shaped notch extending inwa dly from said free end toward the fulcrum, whereby a tack may. enter said slot and notch and is pulled and enters the container when the tool is rocked upon the fulcrum.

3. A tool for removing and collecting tacks comprising, a container having an open top and end, interior opposed grooves in the sides of the container proximate the top thereof, a closure-puller member slidable in said grooves to form a cover therefor, the outer end portion of said member being displaced sidewardly to form an end closure for the container when the member is in closed position, said end portion also forming with the remainder of the member a fulcrum and the outermost free end of the member being closely spaced from and forming with the bottom of the container a slot for the admission of a tack head to the interior of the container, therebeing a V-shaped notch extending inwardly from said free end toward the fulcrum so that a tack may enter the slot and notch and is pulled and enters the container when the tool is rocked upon the fulcrum.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 5, 1937 

